GIGABIT-DENSITY MAGNETIC RECORDING

In this paper we start with a tutorial on the principles of magnetic recording. We outline the dramatic rate of areal density increase for the past thirty years as well as the principal technological changes behind such sustained progress. We then explore the general issues involved in gigabit-density recording and the features that are common to both IBM's and Hitachi's gigabit efforts. We then focus on the principal recording components, namely the recording head and the medium, and discuss the challenges in designing, optimizing, and realizing them for gigabit-density applications. This will be followed by a review of the performance of gigabit recording configurations from both IBM and Hitachi. We conclude with remarks on the performance limitations of these gigabit configurations and the prospects for further areal density extensions in magnetic recording.